


A One Way Trip With No Return

by orphan_account



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: (for a bit), Angst, Character Death, F/M, Flashbacks to the better years, Jason and Percy being bros, Like really slow, M/M, Roman Demigods being badass, Sad Percy, Sadness, Slow build relationship for Percy and Reyna, The 7 of the Prophecy, The gods being dramatic, Training, Violence, as always, war games
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-20
Updated: 2016-09-01
Packaged: 2018-05-21 22:01:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6059641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy stared at the army of monsters heading for the lift as the doors closed, Bob still on the other side holding the button to save his life. It always had to be his life, didn't it? What he wouldn't do right now to trade his life for it to be Annabeth standing in this lift instead of him. All he could think or feel, was anger. Anger at Hera, for starting this. He blamed the fates for this shitty destiny that only got people killed. Anger at Gaia for deciding to wake up now. But most of all, he blamed himself. He didn't get to Annabeth fast enough, and she was gone because of it.</p>
<p>Or</p>
<p>Annabeth doesn't make it out of Tartarus and Percy, blaming himself, is left to deal with it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Say Goodbye, and Welcome Your Fate

**Author's Note:**

> I was just thinking a lot about what would happen if one of them didn't make it out, and I decided to write it. And also I wanted to write something to do with Percy going back and staying at Camp Jupiter, so I did.
> 
> Tada!

The last thing Percy saw, eyes heavy, tears wetting his cheeks, were Bob and Damasen fighting off the monster army as they tried to get to the button before the doors to the lift shuddered closed. Percy leaned up against them heavily, still shaking, and pressed at the metal hard, forcing them to stay closed as the lift began to rattle upwards.

His ears were clouded. Percy was sure that some sort of music was playing over the small lift, but he couldn't hear much of it over the shrieking of metal and the dulled pain in his head. Annabeth's body lay only meters away from him, and as soon as his eyes caught the paleness of her skin, the bloodied blond hair, he felt his stomach turn and his heart shatter once again. Tears welled in his eyes, making it hard for him to see, and even as he blinked, his eyes pooled again. He stood there, holding the door, crying as anger and pain flushed in his chest. When Percy felt the blame settle onto his shoulders, drowning his mind, he wasn't surprised. Everything was his fault. Lives were always lost at his expense, and now, it was Annabeth, and Bob and Damasen, who lost their lives because of him.

Fingers twitching, Percy tried his best to shift and get a better grip on the door.

They had been so close. Misery had given them an advantage, and in the first time since they landed in this Hell, Percy had felt hope, that he and Annabeth could make it back to their friends, that Bob could see the stars, that after defeating Gaia they would have a future together, away from the horrors of war. Now that would never happen, and Percy felt his knees drop at the overwhelming weight of his thoughts. Now Annabeth was gone, and Bob would soon be too, and if not, he would be stuck in Tartarus because of Percy. 

Percy's arms ached as he fought to keep the doors closed just a little longer. He tried his best not to think about Annabeth and her lifeless body lying behind him. He tried not to think about how much pain she was in right before she passed, or how terrified she looked. They were demigods, their lives were always on the line, yet when it came to it, death was something they feared more.

A ding echoed through his mind, through his muffled hearing, and Percy let go of the doors. 

The whole of him was shaking, fingers cramped, and he stumbled to his knees at Annabeth side, pulling her into his lap. Her stomach had long stopped bleeding, but the blood along the lift floor had pooled fast and sunken into her ripped shirt. The monster had appeared suddenly, while they were both occupied. They were fighting back to back, like Percy and Annabeth always did. The knife pierced Annabeth straight though, Percy had felt the scrape of the metal of the blunt blade as it cut at his shirt from behind. He had managed to carry her through the fight and set her down in the lift, but as much as he didn't want to lose hope, as much as he sat there and pressed his hands over the wound, he knew that he couldn't heal this. He knew that even if she lasted the way back, no amount of ambrosia or nectar would fix a wound that fatal. 

The doors creaked open, but Percy paid not attention. Her eyes were closed, but Percy could still picture the light grey colour shattered with intelligence every time he looked at her. It only brought more tears to his eyes, more anger and pain to his chest. He felt the exaustion finally start to affect him, his eyes blurring and eyelids heavy. Black smoke crowded around his knees, swimming around Annabeth. A desperate shout, sounding a lot like Hazel, came from the doors of the lift, but Percy didn't have the energy or the will to look up. Instead, he slumped back, met with darkness before he even hit the ground. Even if his unconcious state, he found it impossible to relax. He doubted he ever would again.

Percy woke to a bothering pain in his stomach and the rocking of the Argo II. His eyes stung and watered when the light ahead shone at him, and when Percy tried to take a deep breath of air, his throat clenched and he coughed. A hand over his shoulder made him jump, blinking to clear his sight. Jason sat at the side of the bed, face grim and eyes miserable. It was that expression over Jason's face that brought back everything that happened. His eyes closed, trying to keep the tears at bay. 

Jason coughed, clearing away any sign of negative emotion in his tone, and gave Percy a smile even though the son of Poseidon had his head down, eyes closed, taking small breaths so he wouldn't overwhelm his lungs with the change in air.

"Slow down, man. You had a nasty cut over your stomach." Silence followed, and Percy would have shocked at the information that he had been injured (he hadn't even felt it) if he hadn't been caught up in his head, in his blame, in the fact that Annabeth was dead and that he had failed to protect her. 

"We had a bad meeting with a giant, but Hazel and Leo dealt with him." Another pause. Jason kept his hand over Percy's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "Annabeth, she was-" 

"Gone." Saying it aloud broke something in him, and his voice weakened as he continued, "I tried, Jason." The son of Jupiter felt shock spread through him at the small sound of Percy's voice, at the tears that shattered his green eyes as he looked up, pleading and apologizing. "I tried to keep her safe, but the monster came out of nowhere, and-" A sob ripped through his throat, pausing his sentence. Percy swallowed it down. "I carried her to the lift, but it was too late." Shifting forward, at the edge of the bed, Jason wrapped and arm over Percy's hunched form, holding him as he shook and cried. He didn't need Percy to say it to know that he blamed himself.

"Percy, what happened to Annabeth was not your fault." When Percy lifted his head, his normally powerful eyes were tired and rimmed with a red outline. "Put the blame where it belongs." Blue eyes crackled with electricity, just like Thalia's did when she was angry. "In Gaia."

Hours went by in silence after that. Jason stayed, sitting in the chair at the bed while Percy lay in silence. Percy was sure that Piper came by at some point. Frank and Hazel had also sat with him for a while, Hazel still crying as she gripped his hand, for him or for Annabeth, or maybe for the both of them. 

But his wound wasn't fatal. 

He, would live. 

Annabeth, was gone. 

Leo had sat at the door of the room, trying to make a few jokes, but even he wasn't laughing. Percy heard the clink as he fiddled with some parts, and when it disappeared, he knew Leo had left. 

Next time he woke up, eyes still tiered and heavy, he was alone. The Argo II wasn't rocking, and silence echoed over as far as Percy could hear. 

He lay there, arms weak, fingers folded over the thick bandage across his stomach. He could feel the soft material under his cotton shirt when he ran his fingers along it. Percy let himself sink into his thoughts, wondering about Bob. Part of him hoped, maybe Bob was still alive; maybe he had survived and found his way back to Damasen's hut with the giant. Maybe they were in the house now, laughing over plates full of Drakon meet and stew. The idea made him smile, but he had seen the army they went against. He was there when Tartarus himself showed up, purple skinned and wearing a golden helm, blood red eyes glowing through the visor. 

Percy barely registered the footsteps, only realizing that there was someone in the room when Frank lent over him, trying for a smile, which twisted his lips into a grimace instead. "It's Hermes. He came to take Annabeth's body to Olympus. We thought you might want to come say goodbye." Jason had said something about this, and even though any emotion he felt now except for pain turned to a numb buzz in his chest, Percy nodded and thanked Frank. 

With shaky feet and and weak back, Percy still managed to stand on his own, bare feet pressed against the smooth wood of the Argo II. Frank offered to help, but Percy waved him off with a withered smile, even though he was no where near happy. 

For the first time since he woke up, he thought of riptide, but the fast beat of his heart calmed quickly when he dipped a hand into the pocket of his trousers to find the pen cold and slim against his searching fingers.

When he stepped onto the deck of the ship, the sun seared at his skin, and Percy wanted to quickly hide back under the safety of shadows. He squinted, aware that he must look horrible, and then lifted an arm to his forehead to bloke the sun from his eyes. 

Blasted Apollo. 

Hermes stood with the rest of the seven, looking over the ocean. Percy noticed Nico among them, standing at Hazel's side with Frank. When their eyes met, Nico passed on a quick nod, and Percy did the same. 

Frank and Percy came forward slowly. He could already see Annabeth, lying along a thick blanket on the deck, eyes closed. They had washed the blood from her face and hair, and if he hadn't seen what he had, Percy would have thought she looked peaceful for the first time in forever. He had absolutely no doubt that she was already in Elysium, possibly with Luke and the others. It didn't stop the pulse of pain striking through his heart as he neared her.

With a small struggle, Percy kneeled at her side, pressing a hand to her cheek, smiling sadly. "I'm sorry Annabeth." It surprised him slightly, that he no longer cried. No tears welled up in his eyes, yet the chest in his pain stayed. "I will finish this fight. We will save this world from Gaia, and from what ever comes next. I will do it for you. I love you." And with a final kiss, he allowed Frank to help him stand again, facing Hermes. 

"Take care of her." Hermes nodded, but Percy didn't stay long enough to see him take her away. He stumbled away, out of the sun and back to his room. Away from pitiful eyes and tears. Away from misery. Instead, he went back to his bed, back to heal, to grieve alone. They still had a world to save, for Annabeth and for everyone else that gave their life for this, they had to finish it. For everyone that had helped them get to this point. 

When night fell, Percy found his way out to the deck again, head tilted, eyes staring over the constallations. Nico sat with his legs dangling from where he sat at the mast, watching the dark waters swirling and kicking. When he saw Percy, hunched along the rail, watching the stars, he climbed down and approached slowly. 

"Thank you, Nico." Joining Percy at the rail, Nico stared at the son of Poseidon, watching his broken eyes staring up at the stars as if they were the most beautiful yet upsetting thing he had ever seen. 

"What for?" 

"Bob. You took care of him, told him about me. He saved us down there, because of you." Nico nodded, yet said nothing, wrapping both hands around the metal rail. 

"And while you saved him, I only got him killed." Nico turned to stare at Percy, watching tears build in his eyes, observing as he shook, grasping the rail as if it was the only thing keeping him upright. Nico was more and more convinced that it was. "Just like Annabeth."

Despite all the hatred he felt for Percy in the past, after Bianca, Nico could sense his heart break at seeing the strongest demigod he had ever met this weak, this broken. 

"Annabeth, she wasn't your fault Percy. She wouldn't want you blaming yourself." Even as he said them, Nico knew how hollow, how false they sounded. Even if Percy wasn't to blame, telling him so wouldn't change a thing. He had to realise it himself. "When this is all over, I will take you to talk to her." 

For a second, it seemed like Percy was going to break down again, and Nico wondered whether that was such a good idea, but then Percy smiled, eyes shining with tears but also a glimpse of happiness, relief, and he thanked Nico softly with a hand at his shoulder, weak fingers gripping at his black jacket. 

Then with an ache at his heart, yet a smile on his face, Percy looked up and found the Huntress among all the other constallations.

"Bob says hello."


	2. How To Deal With Gaea And Stupid Teddy Bear Killers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It has been a while since I read the book, and I did change a bit of the ending than what it canonically is. For example, Leo doesn't die here, or what ever he did at the end of The Blood Of Olympus.

Gaea awoke with the blood of Jason Grace and Hazel Levesque. Her monster army had attacked, and the six demigods of the prophecy fought side by side, along with Nico. Crawling skeletons broke through the earth at Nico's command and storms brewed in the sky at Jason's hand, striking monsters with lightening. Percy called upon the sea, stabbing and slashing at monsters. He felt heavier and heavier, every time monster dust settled on the war-etched ground, remembering the arai and the curses he endured. He felt empty as he fought on, without Annabeth at his side, fighting with him. He got distracted, and Jason blocked a hit coming towards Percy's undefended chest with his own sword, but the monster managed to get a blunt slash to Jason's arm. It wasn't serious, but it was deep enough to drip blood over the steps of Greece. Hazel took a strong hit to the head, and the blood running from her cut face joined Jason's over the ground. 

The Earth goddess built up from the earth, wearing a leaf green dress. Her eyes glowed purple when they opened, staring at the scene of battle with a hint of joy. Percy wanted to charge at her, and by the look on Jason's face he did too, but they both knew that they didn't have the power. Percy was struggling to breath, still recovering from Tartarus and Jason's movement became sluggish, the cut on his arm turning a nasty red. The rest of the seven were looking the same. 

The Athena statue had been returned by the Romans, and if they had succeeded, then establishing peace between the two camps would be a lot easier. Despite all that happened at Jupiter, Reyna had been the one to convince the Romans to help. Percy knew they couldn't get to Gaia now, and the son of Jupiter seemed to understand. Jason called off the demigods, and they made their way through the army with the last of their energy, back to the ship.

"We need to head to camp Half-Blood as quickly as possible." The demigods sat around the large table, food on their plates untouched. As soon as Leo heard that, he gave Jason a nod and slipped from the room to set the Argo II on the right course. "Gaea will be heading there now that she has woken. We'll set our plan into motion there." Nico had called on Mrs O'Leary and shadow traveled to camp, to help Reyna ready both Roman and Greek demigods for the battle that was coming their way. 

"I'm sure Octavian is going to be happy at working with the Greeks." At the mention of the teddy bear killer, Hazel groaned and dropped her head onto her arms, which sat folded across the table. Frank voiced his displeasure too, and Percy almost laughed. 

Almost. 

Jason did smile, and Piper gave him on of her own grins, before he turned and placed a gentle hand over Percy's shoulder. The son of Poseidon sat with his eyes glazed and unfocused, staring at his hands as they sat limp and bruised at his lap. "Do you thing you'll be able to manipulate the sea for a while, to help us get back to Camp faster?"

Hazel looked back up at that, scowling. "He's still recovering from Tartarus, and the wound on his stomach." Percy flinched at the name of The Pit, but ignored the pitiful looks sent his way as he glanced up with soft eyes. 

He was finding it hard keeping eye contact lately. 

He considered saying he was fine, but everyone in this room would know that would be the biggest lie he has ever told, so instead, he tried for a smile. 

"It's okay. My stomach is better." He nodded at Jason, pulling himself away from the table with a weak sigh. "I will command the ocean."

Camp had been in turmoil when they got there a day later. Nico shadow traveled back onto the ship an hour out from camp and told them of the mess. Reyna was commanding most of her army, but Octavian had a group of his own demigods convinced that the alliance with the Greeks was the worst idea that would get them killed. He was getting more support by the day. 

Octavian was the first person Percy saw when he stepped off the ship, standing there watching them with his little group of idiots. 

Percy pushed through the demigods around him, and grabbed Octavian hard by the throat. He was surprised by the sudden strength filling him. He was sure Jason was trying to say something to him, but his focus was on Octavian. 

Percy shoved Octavian into the closest tree and held him there as the Roman struggled, ignoring the sword at his back that problably belonged to one of his idiot followers. 

"You have got to be kidding me. You really want to risk all our lives on your stupid little ploy about revenge at the Greeks!" Octavian was going red at the cheeks; whether it was from Percy's fingers around his thoat, anger or even embarassment, Percy didn't know. He let go of Octavian, then slapped him hard across the head. He had wanted to do that for so long it was ridiculous. 

"Stop with this stupid idea. We defeat Gaea, and then you can leave and never see the Greeks again." He paused, glowering at Octavian. "But for now, just keep it in and help us save some bloody lives!" With a final glare, Percy turned his back to Octavian and stumbled back to the rest of the seven, who had now been joined by Nico and Reyna, all fighting smiles at Octavian's disbelieving look, even Reyna. 

"If you don't stop this stupid rebellion, then I won't wait for the monsters, I will kill you myself." 

With a huff, he walked to one of the bigger tents along the border of Camp which he assumed was Reyna's, his guess confirmed when Reyna followed after him with the rest of the seven. They all crowded around the long war table. Percy stared at the map of Camp along the wooden surface, but he was back to his thoughts, drowning in his head again. Reyna looked over them all and frowned. 

"Where is the daughter of Minerva?" Percy sat down heavily along one of the chairs, chest thudding with pain. It was Piper who answered. 

"Annabeth didn't make it." Percy could hear the emotion dripping from her words, but even now, no more tears came to him. It was like he could no longer do it. Like he could no longer cry. 

"She died in the battle in Greece?" There was shock in Reyna's voice. Percy was sure they could have been good friends; Reyna and Annabeth. He shook his head, and the croak of his voice pulled all the attention to him. 

"She didn't make it out of Tartarus." 

It surprised Percy when he felt movement, and Reyna sat next to him on another chair, one hand gripping the sword in a white-knuckled fist while the other rested on his slumped shoulders. Her eyes held understanding. 

"I am sorry. Annabeth was a good warrior."

When Gaea finally arrived, both armies were ready. Chiron had hugged Percy tight, eyes wet with tears as he apologized for Annabeth's death. 

Nico walked by his side, fought by his side with the rest of the seven as they battled through the armies to Gaea. 

Thalia and the hunters fell into the battle at some point, and when he saw the ferocity of Thalia's fighting, the anger as she shot monster after monster, Percy knew she heard about Annabeth. Tyson fought with a bunch of hell hounds a few feet away, and when he caught Percy, he gave his brother a wide happy grin. It was a strange sight, especially when he stood strangling the beast with his large hands while he smiled sweetly. 

Nico slipped away from the seven with Will telling him of a problem, and when Percy saw they were heading towards Octavian, he followed after them, taking down any monsters coming his way with a weight settling along his shoulders. 

"Octavian!" At Nico's shout, the augur shot up, dropping the rope to his feet. Percy stepped to Nico's side, who at first startled at his sudden appearance, then nodded slightly. Will raised an eyebrow at Octavian. 

"What the hell are you doing?" 

Octavian grinned and pointed to where Gaea stood, eyes shining, at the top of the hill. "I am going to shoot the damned goddess down myself!" 

Just as he finished speaking, Leo shot out of the sky riding Festus with his newly built body, grabbing at Gaea who fell into the claws in shock. Piper followed with Jason and Frank as a huge bird carried Hazel. Percy grimaced, despite his best tries for a smile, and then glared softly at Octavian. "I think they've got it." 

Octavian scrambled around, and although the augur didn't notice, everyone else saw the edge of his tunic catch at the catapult. 

"I can still help kill the goddess." He sounded almost crazy now. 

"You'll take Piper and Jason down too if you do that."

Octavian almost growled at Jason's name, aiming the catapult again. "Good, they deserve it. They are traitors." If he fired the catapult, then he would fly with it. Percy knew that, and he was sure the other two did too. Will tried to say something to the augur, but Octavian was no longer listening. And neither was Percy. 

The son of Poseidon surged forward, and Octavian barely had time to turn before the butt of riptide was crashing into his temple, sending the augur crumbling to the ground beside the catapult. Percy was tiered of losing lives, and even if Octavian was an ass, a very annoying one, Percy wouldn't let him die such a dishonorable death. A Roman warrior walked over, eyes wide in surprise. 

Percy moved back to the battle. 

"Lock him up somewhere. I want him out of the way." Then he went back the facing monsters. Nico and Will followed. 

Leo returned with Festus, Gaia gone from his clutches. Jason and Piper were exausted but alive, and Frank and Hazel seemed way too happy for being in a war. Percy felt a spark of hope shimmer inside him at seeing them alive. When he found them, and made sure they were okay, Percy went off to look for Reyna. 

By the end of everything, Half-Blood hill was covered with monster dust. 

He met with Thalia as she was climbing over the hill with her hunters, back to Artemis. They hugged, and as she held back her tears, he held out with the pain in his chest. 

Him and Reyna stood shoulder to shoulder, overlooking the demigods all breathing in relief, some even joking about with each other.

"Only ten bodies from our side." The statement was unemotional, showing nothing of how Reyna was feeling about the loss. Percy frowned. 

"Still too many." She nodded, voicing her approval, letting them stand in silence for a few more moments. Then...

"You are welcome to return to Camp Jupiter if you like." Percy had considered going back to the other camp. Half-Blood just held too many memories for him that he was too weak to deal with. 

"That might be what I will do." 

Frank and Reyna acknowledged the Greek camp as allies, friends, and after that, a party was hosted. A party that Percy didn't feel like attending. Instead, he sat at the herth, poking at the fire. Footsteps moved to his left, and Nico slipped down next to him, huffing slightly. 

"I heard that you're leaving." Percy said nothing for a while. 

"I can't stay here. Too much reminds me of her. And it's not like I'm needed." Nico turned his head and watched Percy's sad eyes, gleeming in the fire. 

"You are wanted here. But I understand. Go, but come back when ever you're ready, when ever you want." They sat in silence after that, and in the morning, Percy packed up what he needed. Jason shook hands with him, grinning. Piper hugged him tightly, advising him to careful, and Leo handed him an object wrapped in cloth. When he unwrapped it, Percy almost dropped it. It was Annabeth's dagger. Leo explained quickly. 

"You said that she lost it in Tartarus, so I made another, for you." Percy hugged him, thanking him, and when tears pricked his eyes, he was happy to finally cry again, to express grief. They all promised to visit, especially now that Jason had plans to continue work to make sure no demigods were left without knowledge of their parent. With a few goodbye's to others, like Chiron and Rachel, Percy was ready to leave. 

With Frank and Hazel at his side again, with Reyna leading ahead, they traveled to Camp Jupiter. Percy didn't look back, although he was tempted to.


	3. Terminus, the Senate and a moment of peace - kind of

Camp Jupiter had rebuilt pretty quickly after Leo shot up the place. Most of the buildings that had been damaged then were almost completely fixed if not already, but when Frank and Hazel led him up to the Fifth Cohort; it was just like he remembered. When Percy lay over one of the beds, arms tucked under his head, he actually felt comfortable. No one was around, but Frank told him that it was probably because they were probably at the Senate with Reyna. 

Reyna called a meeting as soon as they arrived, for all at Camp Jupiter to attend. 

On their way to the Senate House, Percy actually felt free. It wasn't exactly happiness, but it was a start, even if the thought of Annabeth and Tartarus still darkened his mind. He felt peace, knowing that Gaea no longer posed a danger. Looking over the buildings, the happy smiles of children, Percy knew Annabeth would have loved this place. Thinking about her only settled heavier on his chest, but he tried to stay happy, even if it was still impossible for him to smile. 

Terminus was at his usual post over the Pomerian Line, frown etched permanently into his marble face. Percy was actually surprised to see him still here. He had taken a pretty bad hit at the attack. 

The statue only frowned at Percy when he saw him, but it seemed softer than before, a lot less vile, if that was even possible. 

"Percy Jackson. Hazel Levesque." They both shifted through their pockets, pulling out any weapons. Percy disposed of riptide, still uncertain about the procedure, but he knew it was necessary. Then, with slight hesitation, he unclipped Annabeth's dagger from his belt - his dagger now, he reminded himself - and stepped over the Pomerian Line as Terminus scowled after him. Hazel did the same and followed after him, giving Percy a soft smile which he wasn't quite ready to return, yet responded with a nod. 

"Frank Zhang, returning as a Praetor." Terminus paused, then turned his frowning face to Frank. "Always be Frank Zhang from the Fifth Cohort to me. Weapons." Frank laughed joyfully and dropped all his items into the box, before joining Percy and Hazel over the line. The three of them headed through the streets of New Rome and into the Senate House. 

To all of their surprise, Octavian was sat in one of the front rows. He glared at Percy when their eyes met, but Percy barely saw him, and instead gave a nod to Reyna, who responded similarly, before taking his seat in one of the rows next to Hazel. 

Reyna stood tall along all the other centurions next to her, Frank at her side. He had his Praetor mask on, Percy noticed, his serious face. It was like a whole new Frank, if you looked past the happy light shining in his eyes. 

"Yesterday was a great success for us." The crowd waited as Reyna paused, looking over all of them. "We not only defeated the threat of another war, but also stopped the Goddess Gaea with our new allies. Hopefully it will last for future troubles." There were mutters of agreement, and Percy could tell Frank was fighting a smile. His Praetor mask wasn't that good yet. "From now on, there will be no more boundaries or disagreements between us and the Greeks. You can move between camps as you wish, for they are our allies, friends, and we are theirs." This time a happy roar went up along the Senate, and even Reyna couldn't hold her smile. Until an annoyingly familiar voice broke over the cheers. 

"Are we sure that this alliance with the Greek camp is wise, Praetor?" 

Octavian stood along the bottom floor, looking small from where Percy sat. Reyna looked down on the augur, frowning deeply. Hazel huffed in annoyance by Percy. He completely understood the frustration at the augur Hazel was feeling, tightening his hands into fists. 

A small part of his brain regretted not leaving him attached to the catapult, regretted stopping it. But he couldn't let more people die, no matter how stupid they acted all the time. 

Percy noticed that Octavian's wrists were bound by metal chain, and smiled. At least he was somewhat restrained. Pity that those chains didn't shut him up, too. "After all, they fired on our camp when we offered them peace before, what stops them from doing that again?" Percy didn't miss the lovely glare Octavian sent his way. 

When Octavian got his answer, it was from Frank, face emotionless just like Reyna's, voice cold. Percy felt something like pride for his friend, and how well the leadership role suited him. "When the demigods of Camp Half Blood fired on Jupiter, they were under the influence of creatures called eidolons. Leo's actions were not his own. Now that we have fought with them, and they have made peace with us, I believe we can trust them." 

Reyna chimed in with a confident, "As do I." 

One by one, each of the centurions voiced their agreement. Soon, the whole Senate was in uproar again, shouting their approval of the Greeks. Percy felt hope and happiness for the first time since Annabeth and Tartarus. 

Octavian slumped away to his seat with his head down, trying to keep the attention from himself. 

It failed. 

Reyna turned her head down to stare at him, eyes bright and cold. "Lead upon or voice any negative feelings or plans towards the Greeks and anyone in this camp and I will look upon it as an act of treason. I will enforce a banishment. From both Camps." Octavian kept his eyes down. Percy could see his red cheeks from here. 

With a proud aura and arms folded in front of her, Reyna stared ahead at the people of Camp Jupiter. "Now, tonight we celebrate. Tomorrow, we end the celebration traditionally," She paused, and by her grin, Percy knew what she was going to say before she even uttered the words. "With a fight!" 

The roar of shouts and happy cheers that went up after Reyna shouted almost deafened Percy, and he ducked as the demigods in front of him and behind leapt up from their seats and yelled, some even whooping wildly. Reyna gave them a few seconds of cheers, to express their excitement, before she held up a hand and the Roman's settled down. 

"Go now, and prepare. We eat and drink tonight. Then we prepare our teams for the War Games!" Percy would be lying if he himself wasn't excited to fight the Roman War Games again. Hazel was cheering beside him, and when he found Reyna between the jumping bodies and arms of other demigods, she allowed herself a smile of her own. 

Percy had barely slept since Tartarus. Whenever he closed his eyes, the images of the Pit, of Annabeth and her limp bloodied body, all flashed over the backs of his eyelids as if it was a nightmare presentation. On some days it was bearable, and he could get a few hours of sleep before the dreams got bad, but on other times he barely closed his eyes before the monster army rushed them, before the sword cut Annabeth through. Percy tried, but even with the Fifth Cohort empty, he couldn't get a second of sleep before he saw a flash of blood and death. Everyone was at the celebration. Frank and Hazel had tried to convince him to join them, telling him that it would do him some good, but Percy couldn't go and enjoy himself; not with the heaviness and guilt waying down over his heart. He had told them instead that he was too tired, even if he was sure they didn't believe him, and tried to get some sleep. 

Clearly, it hadn't worked. 

So instead Percy lay on his back, eyes searching the ceiling for any sort of small detail to distract him from his thoughts while his hands were wrapped around the dagger resting over his chest. He could hear the noise floating from the Mess Halls to the Barracks. There was music, whether it was playing from somewhere or being sung, Percy wasn't sure. He knew some of the songs, and let himself whisper along to them a few times. 

He didn't know where the tears came from. Maybe it was from the dagger on his chest, the reminder of the girl he loved for so long and who was now gone; or maybe it was from the songs that he could hear that reminded him so much of his home and the memories he made there, but Percy's eyesight blurred as tears gathered in his eyes. When he blinked, they dripped sideways, rolling over his temples and dropping onto his pillow. The music echoing from the Mess Halls became louder, and Percy scrambled up quickly, wiping the tears from his cheeks and flicking them away from his eyes. He clipped the dagger back onto his belt and then grabbed one of his jackets. If he stayed in the silence and wondered about the past, it would only brake him more. 

Fauns rushed around and handed out drinks. Percy saw a few demigods wave them away and offer them drinks instead, and such exchange made him briefly happy. Frank and Hazel yelled out happily when they saw him, wrapping an arm around each shoulder as they continued to swerve side to side with the music. 

When he broke away from them a few minutes later and wondered through the crowds of Romans, Percy spotted Octavian sitting alone at one of the tables poking at his food with a fork. He walked further ahead. 

Reyna seemed to be doing exactly the same thing as Percy; she was walking slowly through the partying Romans, smiling and exchanging a few words with many of them, laughing at times. Her normal armor and purple cloak were swapped for a long white and purple dress. Percy wondered over to her side and they walked together. Even though Reyna was obviously aware of his presence, both of them stayed quite, only swerving through dancing crowds. Percy was sure they passed Dakota at some point, bubbling with laughter as he drank another glass of Kool-Aid.

"I would like your permission to go to my mother. I haven't done so since I went missing, not face to face, or through a rainbow." Percy muttered about the horrible signal of Iris's messaging and Reyna laughed. 

"You know you don't need by permission. The Camp is open to anyone, we won't keep you here." If Percy had listened more intently to Reyna's voice, he would have noticed the quiver of disappointment hidden there.

"I'll come back. But it's just that I haven't seen her in months-" 

Reyna paused, and Percy stopped with her.

"Go. I just expected you to stay for the War Games first." Percy wanted to smile, and let the motion take over his lips for a second before he hid it in a grimace. Reyna didn't comment. 

"The War Games are happening in the afternoon anyway, right?" When Reyna nodded, Percy sighed. "I'll be back in time for them." For a second, Reyna scrunched her brows in soft confusion, thinking. It was too long for Percy to travel by water, and he wouldn't make it back by foot or other transport... 

It dawned on her slowly. She remembered the dark haired son of Hades and his huge shadow traveling dog. "The Hellhound." She saw the smug grin fighting along Percy's mouth, but chose to ignore it. 

"Her name is Mrs O'Leary, and she's very nice." A pause echoed between them as Percy reconsidered his answer. "Well, once she trusts you." 

An hour later, Percy found himself standing along the gate of Camp Jupiter with the lake flowing in front of him, the few guards standing alongside the wall with spears and arrows up, ready for attack. Romans, always so tense. 

Mrs O'Leary appeared in a gallop from the shadow of a tree across the other side of the lake. She shook out her huge head, and then looked up. As soon as she saw Percy, she made a happy sound and lunged forward, wadding into the water and across the soft waves of the lake, lapping at it happily once in a while with her huge canines. Percy was knocked down onto the ground as the Hellhound pounced, but all she did was lick him over the face with her pink tongue. The guards fell over each other to point their weapons in the right direction, but when they saw the hound's behaviour, they stood back and watched, puzzled. When Mrs O'Leary finally pushed off of Percy, he swung up onto her back and sat back comfortably. 

The guards stared at the huge hound. Mrs O'Leary looked back with wide eyes and an open jaw. Percy leaned down and whispered his address into her ear. "Tell Reyna that I will be back by tomorrow." Then they were off, running head first into a tree before disappearing into the shadows. The darkness and sharp prickles of cold gave Percy pause, but he had really enjoyed this. He wrapped his hands into Mrs O'Leary's fur and held on for dear life as she jumped through the shadows. 

Manhattan was alive with wild lights and noise when Percy and Mrs O'Leary appeared through the shadows of a tree in a nearby park. Percy was stuck with a sense of nostalgia as he remembered growing up around there. It just made him sad again. The apartment was just across the street; Percy could see the building and the lights still on in the lobby. He felt some peace to be back here, back home. 

Until Mrs O’Leary growled at his side and Percy turned to see the Minotaur hunched among the patch of trees, huffing and dragging his hoof through the grass, kicking up dirt. Despite the situation, Percy rolled his eyes as he pulled free riptide, clicking it open. 

“Can’t get a moment of peace now, can I?” The Minotaur roared loudly, and Percy leapt forward with the hellhound behind him, swinging his sword.


	4. Old pal the Minotaur, Fear of Sally Jackson and What the War Games Bring

"How are you, ugly?" 

That didn't seem to please the Minotaur. It roared viciously, spitting into the night air. His horns were both back since the last time. Percy took the Minotour for a second, looking up at him from Mrs O'Leary's back. His tunic was dirtied and ripped, and Percy noticed the blood covering parts of his fur. 

"I'll take both horns this time, buddy." The Minotaur let loose another wild bellow, and then he was stomping forward with his axe swinging at his side. Percy calmed Mrs O'Leary with a soft pat on the neck, and waited. If Tartarus had taught him anything, it was that he couldn't go rushing into a fight.

The floor shook under the monster's heavy hooves. Percy stared at him running. 

The Minotaur raised his axe, the edges glinting in the lights. 

Mrs O'Leary shifted uneasily. Percy shushed her peacefully. Slowly, he edged Riptide out of his pocket. 

The bull tilted his head towards him, horns ready and sharp. Riptide grew a its blade in Percy's hands. 

The Minotaur roared once again. 

At the last second, as the axe was swinging towards them, ready to cut them in half, Percy gave Mrs O'Leary and sudden shout and she swerved out of the way, using the shadows to teleport them away and appear behind the Minotaur. Disorientated, the bull skidded and fell, hitting the ground with a violent shudder. Percy jumped from Mrs O'Leary's back. Riptide was swinging in a deadly silent arc, down towards the Minotaur's back. The Bull turned to dust quickly, in a large burst of ash. 

A weight settled onto Percy's shoulders. It seemed a lot heavier than the others.

"Percy!" The demigod turned, and Mrs O'Leary began to bark happily. 

Nico had walked out from the shadows of one of the buildings along the empty road, and stood now in the light of the lamp post staring at the son of Poseidon with a slight shock in his eyes. It was soon replaced with a soft happiness, and Nico lifted the side of his mouth in a tiny welcoming smile. 

Mrs O'Leary bound over to Nico and licked his face joyfully until Nico had patted her along the snout in a warm hello. "What are you doing here?"

Percy observed Nico and the hellhound. He could see the slight happiness in Nico's movement. He felt a twinge of glee in his chest to see him smiling again. It made him wonder if he could ever be so happy again. "I was planing on visiting my mother, until my old friend the Minotaur showed up."

Nico shoved Mrs O'Leary and jogged over with her, glancing behind Percy to see the disintegrated monster dust scattered along the tarmac. "Seems like you handled him pretty well."

"It seemed easier to do that before I had suffered all their curses." Percy avoided looking up and meeting Nico's eyes, instead staring at his grimy shoes. Nico didn't comment, but Percy did miss the momentary look of sadness appear in the other demigod's eyes. It was gone by the time Percy looked up to ask, "What about you? What are you doing here?"

Patting Mrs O'Leary over a huge ear, Nico said, "I sensed Mrs O'Leary's distress. She was nervous, so I decided to see what was happening." A pause filled the air between them with sounds of the never sleeping city a little distance away. "Now that I know it was nothing, I'll head back. I'll leave you Mrs O'Leary so you can get back." 

Nico was nearly back to his previous shadow when Percy called back to him. 

"Nico?"

"Yeah?"

Percy swallowed nervously. "Come with me?"

Nico stopped altogether, turned and then lent back on his feet as he regarded Percy. A smile grew on his face again. 

"You're scared."

Percy defended immediately. That was how Nico knew his accusation was true.

"I am not!"

"Yeah you are. Look at you, you're pretty much shaking!"

With a sigh, Percy nodded. "Okay, yeah, but only because I haven't visited her in ages and I'm scared she'll kill me."

Nico laughed, actually, genuinely laughed, and walked towards Percy with a smug grin on his face. 

"Come on, oh great son of Poseidon. Let's go see if your mother is really as scary as you say."

Mrs O'Leary trudged merrily after them. 

The first thing Sally Jackson did when she saw Percy standing at the door, looking down at her with tired sad eyes was pull her son into the strongest hug. Nico smiled at him over his mother's shoulder, and Percy closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around Sally. Until she pushed harshly out of the embrace and began to hit him hard along the arm with clumsy fists. Tears rolled over her reddened cheeks, and her punches became lighter as his mother cried harder. Percy hugged her again.

"I'm okay, mom." Her sobbing made his eyes sting with unshed tears. "I'm alive, I'm here."

Sat at the chipping wooden table, the table at which he'd ate every dinner. He ran his finger over the dulled ink scribbled all over the old surface, remembering how Sally had scolded him for getting his hands on that permanent marker. Of course it had been blue. 

Percy told her everything. About the search for Athena's statue, about Tartarus. Annabeth's name made him choke back tears, wiping his hand over his eyes to hide the fact that he was crying. Sally wasn't fooled and pulled his hand down between her warm palms. She cried with him as he told her about what happened. 

"I'm so sorry Percy," she'd whispered. She held him in another hug, until he finished. 

Nico stayed silent, watching. Mrs O'Leary sat with her head just barely below the ceiling, and he patted her paw. Nico felt sorrow, deep in his chest. Percy had always been so strong at every moment, and to see him like this, so broken, Nico worried. 

Sally Jackson ended up making cookies. Blue cookies, which Nico had only seen once before, when Percy had brought some out to him. They ate them with Nico telling Percy everything about the rest of the celebrations in Camp Half Blood, and in return Percy explained the planned War Games at Camp Jupiter. 

They left with Sally hitting Percy one last time, playfully in the arm. "You better visit me again. Soon." She glared their way, scratching Mrs O'Leary under the chin one last time, but both demigods could see the side of her mouth lifting up into a smile as they walked from the apartments and into the street once again, which was still empty. 

Mrs O'Leary barked happily when Nico and Percy were both seated. With places to go, she jumped forward into the closest shadow, off to the other side of the world. 

"You could come back, you know?"

"I know, but Camp Half Blood already has their resident grumpy demigod. I can't take you're spot, Nico."  
Nico smiled, nodding at him as they lake separated them once again. The guards at the gate had pulled open to entrance to Camp Jupiter, waiting patiently for Percy to cross over. 

"I promised you, I'd take you to see her."

Silence settled. Percy froze, back to Nico. He swallowed hard. "And I'm thankful for that. I'm just not ready yet." His voice broke in the middle of his sentence and Percy coughed to try covering it up. Nico wasn't fooled, but he said nothing about it. 

"I'll see you around then." 

Nico was gone with the hell hound, into the shadows of the forest before Percy could fully lift his arm up to wave. 

Some of Jupiter's campers lead Percy to Reyna, who had been in her room in one of the bigger homes. Both of her metal dogs sat at her heels. She looked up with the knock, and smiled tightly when he appeared through the door. 

"Told you I'd be back."

Reyna stood gracefully, her dogs swirling with a clink of their paws around her feet, watching Percy and the other surroundings carefully with their blank eyes. 

"I'm glad." She sounded disinterested, but Percy could see the small glint of happiness in her eyes. Or maybe it was just happiness for the War Games. "I was just about to go and announce the demigods to start gathering."

Percy's hand found Riptide in his pocket, pulling the pen out and twirling it through his hand quickly. "Great. Lets go."

A moment of silence passed. Percy coughed awkwardly and nodded.

"Right, sorry." He corrected himself. "When ever you wish to go, Praetor."

He faced her, and despite the guilt pushing at him, from everything, he felt a soft satisfaction at seeing the smile Reyna was trying to fight. 

Frank, despite bring Praetor, joined the rest of 5th Cohort when the fighting begun. He stood on the shorter of the towers along the Field of Mars that the Legionnaires had built as a support to defense. The large tower that the first four Cohort's were protecting from the fifth and the others was looking as huge and decorated with all sorts of cannons and other defenses were moving and spinning, shooting both fire and water their way, spraying them with flickers of fire and tears of water. 

Hazel, Percy and a few of the others from the Fifth Cohort hid behind a mass of wood from the arrows whooshing past above them from the others. Hazel lent back and shot an arrow of her own, and from the grin she gave Percy, he could only guess that it hit its mark. Percy shuffled forward, crouched low and out of the way of the arrows. Hazel followed without a word.

Five demigods from the opposite team crowded them, smiling as they swirled their swords between their fingers. Hazel fought a smile of her own as she pulled up her sword, and Percy did the same with Riptide, stance on defense. Then, they lunged.

It went smoothly, with Percy happily taking on the two at his side, almost happy with the fighting he'd missed so much. Not life threatening, just fun. 

Until the demigods began surrounding them, and Hazel and Percy pressed up, back-to-back to fight them off. 

The battle disappeared from his sights. He felt Hazel at his back, but in his mind it was Annabeth. The roar of war around them shifted to the peeling faces of bitter monsters and beings, the clang of metal a violent banging of rusted blades instead of blunted harmless Roman swords. The Fields of Mars and purple shirts turned to red skies black rocks and the metal door of the lift, shifting against the thick chains of steel. The warm sun around him, forming sweat at his brow, began to sting and blister his flesh, and every quick shallow breath he took burned his lungs like the air in Tartarus had. 

Hazel realised quickly something was wrong, when she felt him freeze behind her. When she hid her sword in its leather sheath and called out to the demigods to stop, call help, Percy was slipping down to his knees, Riptide dropping with a heaviness into the grass at his feet. His eyes had glazed over, and his breath came short and quick. The demigods didn't need to be told twice, turning quickly and running off to find Reyna. 

"Percy?" Hazel yelled over the sounds of cannons firing, moving round and crouching in front of him, worry only increasing at the empty look in his green eyes. She spotted Frank over Percy's shoulder who ran towards her, dodging the fighting demigods, as soon as he noticed the panic twisting her delicate face. 

"Percy, can you hear me?" She screamed again.

Her shouting did nothing. The green of Percy's eyes swam in a sea of tears failing to escape. Frank skidded to a stop at their side, staring at them with slight confusion. "He won't respond. I don't know what happened, he just dropped."

Hazel tried again and again, shouting over the sounds of battle that she thought were beginning to quieten. She'd even raised a hand sharply and slapped her friends across the cheek, but even to that he didn't respond. He just blinked, drops of tears falling over his face. Hazel looked up at Frank.

"It's the battle."

"We need to get him out of here, now."


	5. When Anger Burns

Darkness shrouded his mind for a long time.

A blank mind and nothing in his vision to disrupt it was peaceful, and something he hadn't felt in weeks, not since Annabeth bled out in his arms.

When he blinked, light spread around him, exploding almost. He saw golden shadows and steel, mind fighting to think of where he had seen such colours combined before, so calming and familiar, but it was the smooth laugh that woke him fully. Blinking again, his eyes focused, and the steel rounded into a sharp gray, the blond wrapping round into familiar curls.

Annabeth stared down at him with calm eyes and a delicate smile, her face tanned just as it had been at Camp Half Blood before the quest that took her life, before the Pit sucked all colour from them. Her eyes glowed with happiness, with unheard laughter.

All Percy could do was stare. His body felt limp, his head buzzed, his heart knocked hard against his ribs. It wasn't possible. 

"Percy?" Fingers brushed back the mess of his hair, then gently at his cheek.

He looked deep into the eyes he'd missed so much, stuttering through all the questions crowding his brain, the only sounds escaping his throat being a gasp of, "How?" 

Annabeth moved back, pulling up and hanging down a hand for him to take. Eyes still watching her, never leaving her face, Percy took the hand offered to him and stood, balancing himself carefully at her side as she smiled and moved her eyes to watch the surroundings around them. Percy followed where she looked, but his fingers stayed clasped in hers, tight and sure.

When he saw, he understood. The vibrant grass, so thick and soft under their feet, the glaring sky of so many colours. The masses of people rushing around, laughing as they chased around the sides of small houses, sitting huddled between the blades of tender grass. He knew he wasn't dead. He could feel the life still in himself. But he cherished the moment non the less.

"We're in Elysium." He turned to Annabeth once again, grinning so hard in hurt his cheeks. "You made it Annabeth. To Elysium." 

The daughter of Athena nodded, slow and hesitant, her own eyes meeting his, but sorrow now swam with the steel, as if her eyes were a melting metal. "I miss you, Seaweed Brain." 

His tears came suddenly, hearing the nickname in her voice once again. He wrapped his arms tightly around her shoulders, pulling her to him and holding her, as her arms too clutched at his back. He noticed she was no longer warm, barely even there, and at that thought his tears came quicker. 

"I miss you too, Wise Girl." 

She almost pushed him away, hand coming up to slap him hard. He barely felt it. "Percy you idiot!"

For a second he was confused, looking at her with tears still building in his eyes, but she didn't give him a chance to ask questions. "You're wasting away, dying. I don't want that for you."

He stared at her for a second, blonde hair still as curly and wild as it was in life, eyes still a strong and determined. "It's not so easy to live when your true love died at your side, Annabeth." 

She nodded, eyes blurred by tears. When one dropped onto her cheek, Percy reached over to wipe it away. He didn't feel anything. "I died at your side, Percy, so that you could live. But you're not living, Seaweed Brain. You're barely surviving." She was right. He barely felt much nowadays except if it was pain. Any happiness he'd felt, the jokes he'd told purely to make others laugh seemed pointless when the only person he truly cared to make happy was gone. 

"I miss you, and I know that you miss me too, but you can't drop out of life because I no longer have mine." Annabeth's soft hands pressed against his cheeks gently, a smile so gracefully pull up her lips. "We fought and won a war, you have peace, and so do I. But I'm gone Percy. There are others that still need you, want you to live just as much as I do. There are others that love you." 

When he looked into her eyes again, his own drowned in salty tears. He'd thought that he would never look into these eyes again, yet he didn't know what what was worse: never seeing her again or having to say goodbye twice. 

"I love you with all my heart, Annabeth, and when you died you took it with you."

Annabeth smiled sadly. Her face neared his, and gently, softly, she pressed her lips against his, kissing him soundly for the last time. For Percy, it felt like the first, when they'd sat together at the Mess Hall at Camp Half Blood, eating blue cake. 

"Then find someone who can bring your heart back." 

His fingers brushed her hair tenderly. "I don't know how I'm going to make it without you, Wise Girl."

"Let me go, Percy, but remember me. Remember that I am always going to be with you, always." They stood there, in Elysium, holding each other for the last time. "Remember that I love you, Percy."

"I love you too, Annabeth."

The last thing he saw was Annabeth's beautiful face, smiling at him softly, before he dropped back into darkness.

 

Hazel watched Percy, his chest rising and falling with each breath, eyes closed. Nico sat at her side, holding her hand in comfort as they waited. Frank had gone to calm the Roman's and set them on their daily tasks after the War Games had been cancelled. 

Reyna paced the length of the room, eyes glancing nervously at a sleeping Percy, before moving back to stare down at her feet as she walked back and forth.

"When will he wake up?" Nico rolled his eyes for the fifth time, sighing deeply. Reyna hadn't stopped asking the same question for the past hour, and the answer was always the same. 

"When he's ready to come back through, he will."

Reyna stopped, huffing angrily. "What the hell happened out there?"

The Praetor grumbled, resuming her pacing. She'd burst into the Fifth Cohort's barracks, empty except for Hazel and Frank, Nico following after her as Hazel had asked for his arrival. Her dogs had barked dangerously, betraying her uneasiness despite how she tried to hide it. 

Hazel huffed this time, and eyes till on Percy, she answered. "We got surrounded by some of the opposite team, so we decided to go back-to-back. He froze up, couldn't breath." Reyna paused again, staring curiously at Percy for a second before Hazel turned and met the Praetor's blazing eyes. "That's how Annabeth died, in Tartarus, fighting back to back with Percy."

And then Reyna understood. The panic in Hazel's eyes when she walked in, the desperate need for Nico.

"You're letting him see her."

Nico nodded. "I promised him he could say goodbye. It just came more desperately than I thought."

They didn't spend much more time talking. Reyna went back to her pacing, her metal dogs standing guard at the door with growls emitting from their throats, and Nico settled further into his chair with a comforting squeeze to Hazel's fingers. 

It was another hour before Percy woke up. Nico was impressed that Reyna could keep up her pacing for that long and not get tiered or sick. Percy's eyes opened slowly, as if he was afraid of what he'll see. He focused on Nico's face first, then Hazel's. Reyna tried her best to smile warmly at him, but feelings weren't exactly her forte, especially when she had already shown so much emotion for him. 

His eyes swam with tears, and Reyna felt her heart break at how lost he looked. Despite that, there was something behind the hood of tears in his eyes, something akin to happiness, relief. It didn't mean that the anger she had seen before was gone. That was burning still, bright and flaming. Sooner or later he would have to let it out, or it would eat him alive. 

"She's gone. I'm never going to see her again." His voice creaked and broke with the weight of emotion. Hazel wrapped him tight in a warm hug. Reyna just watched his eyes. 

 

It was days until Reyna saw Percy again. She'd been busy, but even if she hadn't she was sure she wouldn't have seen much of him. 

She was trudging around Camp Jupiter with a second of free time, when she heard him, the swoosh of a sword over deep breaths of frustration. He was standing at the Fields of Mars, empty of anyone else, his sword ripping the air as he swung back and forth at enemies that weren't there. Black hair damp with sweat, shirt too, he must have been here for at least an hour. 

After a second of hesitation, Reyna walked towards him. She got too close though, and even shouting his name couldn't bring Percy out of what ever fighting state of mind he was in. 

His sword swooshed the air towards her face, and Reyna reacted on instinct, ripping her sword from its scabbard at her waist and lifting it up to meet Percy's blade. 

They clanged together, echoing over the silence of the empty fields. Percy blinked at her in shock and dropped the sword immediately, eyes racking over her to make sure he didn't hurt her as apologies split from his lips. 

"Gods, Reyna, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you." 

Reyna was petrified, honestly, but she didn't show it, only shrugged off Percy's concern and eyed him suspiciously. Then, with a decision made in her mind, she reached up and unclipped her thick purple cloak, letting it drop from her shoulders to the dry earth of the field, leaving her in the golden armour of the Praetor. She stood back lazily and motioned to Percy's sword. 

"Pick it up. Lets spar." It sounded more like a command than she wanted it to, but Percy did as she said, eyes still apologetic.

"Are you sure about this Reyna," Percy's eyes were amused quickly, but no smiled showed on his face. "I don't wont to ruin that beautiful armour of yours." 

Reyna grinned at his confidence. "Don't worry. You won't get you dirty little blade anywhere near it."

As soon as she finished speaking, she lunged, slipping from her slumped position into a quick offensive pose and struck forward with her blade, slicing a cut into Percy's forearm. He hissed, eyeing the blood dripping slowly, then focused his eyes just quick enough to raise his sword up and block another hit coming to his torso. 

Reyna didn't waste time, retracting her sword and swinging again, this time down in an arc and striking at Percy's knees. The flat of her blade made contact, and Percy flopped, falling face first into the ground, earning him a mouth full of dirt. He heard the shift of air, and rolled just as the sword came down, striking up and redirecting Reyna's hit up into the air instead of down at him. The surprise defense left her open, and Percy jabbed up from the ground. Reyna grinned, jumping back before the sword's tip even came so much as near her chest. 

Reyna's retreat gave Percy a second to get back to his feet, but as soon as he stood on his toes Reyna was attacking again, swinging and arcing, back and forth, leaving Percy heaving as he blocked and redirected every hit Reyna tossed his way as fast as he could before the golden metal cut him again. 

He almost got a hit, fooling Reyna into expecting a low hit as he went for a high one, but the Praetor caught on in time to bounce the sword away from her face. Percy could feel the frustration rising in him again, the thrill of fighting gone and replaced by an anger. Reyna could see it too, and she grinned. 

Her plan was working.

Another strike and Percy rolled, ducking. The sword found him anyway, slicing at his right leg, spilling blood over his trousers and a hiss of pain from his lips, which was followed surprisingly by a loud growl of anger. Percy rushed forward, yelling when he missed, or when Reyna struck him again. 

"You're angry!" Reyna shouted over the clang of their weapons. 

"Of course I'm angry, I'm loosing miserably," Percy growled back, tricking Reyna by going for a kick instead of using the sword, but she blocked it with a kick of her own and struck him in the chin with the butt of her sword, sending him down into the earth once again. Reyna shook her head as he scrambled up.

"That's not why you're angry." Percy paid her no attention, striking her in the shin, knocking her off balance and to her knees. 

"Who are you angry at?" Percy tried to get another hit, but Reyna blocked it easily, climbing back to her feet just as he did the same, and then they were back to swinging wildly at each other, ducking and blocking. 

"The gods, Gaea, all of them!" It was loud and filled with a betrayal Reyna had heard before in her own voice, years ago. He swung at her again, but Reyna swerved out of the way, turned, and kicked him in his open back, sending him to his knees once again. 

"They did this to us, made us pawns, and when we die for them, they," he jabbed at her, "don't," Reyna ducked under a coming fist, "CARE!" Reyna could see how tiered he was, but the anger dripped slowly from him as he swung again and again. With a jerk of her sword, she struck him in the side of the head, knocking him out cold. 

When Percy woke up again, in the infirmary with and ice pack over his forehead and bandages wrapped around his arm and leg, the anger he felt free. The anger that had crowded him since Annabeth's death was gone, no longer burning him all over from the inside. 

"Then find someone who can bring your heart back."


End file.
